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Bea Karp

Bea Karp was born Beate Stern in Lauterbach, Germany in 1932. She and her family were forced from their home and transported by passenger train to internment camps in the south of France. Bea and her sister Susie were saved by the Jewish French Underground, Œuvre de secours aux enfants (OSE), and were hidden in numerous chateaus and convents until the end of the war. They were never reunited with their parents who were murdered in Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp. Bea arrived in the US in 1947, later settling in Omaha with her husband and four daughters. Bea spoke extensively about her Holocaust experiences with Nebraska and Iowa schoolchildren and at community gatherings. Hear Bea's testimony in her own words.


310 items

Message Regarding Beate and Suse's Travels, May 23, 1945

  • Date: May 23, 1945
  • Format: letter

Message Regarding Beate Stern (Bea Karp) and Susie Stern's Travels, May 23, 1945

  • Date: May 23, 1945
  • Format: letter

Telegram from OSE to Louise Gordon, May 23, 1945

  • Date: May 23, 1945
  • Format: telegram

Letter from Ilse Windmueller to Grossman, May 29, 1945

  • Date: May 29, 1945
  • Creator(s): Windmueller, Ilse
  • Format: letter

Telegram Regarding Beate and Susie Stern's Travels, May 29, 1945

  • Date: May 29, 1945
  • Format: telegram

Telegram to Suzanne Bardon, June 14, 1945

  • Date: June 14, 1945
  • Format: telegram

Letter from Bertha Gottlieb to Siegfried and Mary Stern, June 18, 1945

  • Date: June 18, 1945
  • Creator(s): Gottlieb, Bertha
  • Format: letter

Telegram from OSE Paris to OSE Limoges, June 23, 1945

  • Date: June 23, 1945
  • Format: telegram

Telegram from OSE Mainsat, June 25, 1945

  • Date: June 25, 1945
  • Format: telegram

Letter from Beate and Susie Stern to Siegfried and Mary Stern, June 27, 1945

  • Date: June 27, 1945
  • Creator(s): Karp, Bea | Stern, Susie | Loewenstein, Senta
  • Format: letter

Letter from Senta Loewenstein to Siegfried and Miriam Stern, June 27, 1945

  • Date: June 27, 1945
  • Creator(s): Loewenstein, Senta
  • Format: letter

Telegram from Sigfried Stern Regarding Beate and Susie's Travels, July 3, 1945

  • Date: July 3, 1945
  • Creator(s): Stern, Siegfried
  • Format: telegram

Letter from Senta Loewenstein to Beate and Susie Stern, July 11, 1945

  • Date: July 11, 1945
  • Creator(s): Loewenstein, Senta
  • Format: letter

Letter from Esther to Bea Karp, July 11, 1945

  • Date: July 11, 1945
  • Creator(s): Esther
  • Format: letter

Letter from SER Paris to OSE Paris about location of Beate and Susie Stern, July 12, 1945

  • Date: July 12, 1945
  • Format: letter

Letter from Senta and Mimi Loewenstein to Bea and Susie Stern, July 17, 1945

  • Date: July 17, 1945
  • Creator(s): Loewenstein, Senta | Loewenstein, Mimi
  • Format: letter

Letter from Victoria to Bea Karp, July 18, 1945

  • Date: July 18, 1945
  • Creator(s): Victoria
  • Format: letter

Letter to SER Paris, July 19, 1945

  • Date: July 19, 1945
  • Format: letter

Letter to Beate Stern, July 19, 1945

  • Date: July 19, 1945
  • Format: letter

Letter from Sophie and Jenny to Bea Karp, July 19, 1945

  • Date: July 19, 1945
  • Creator(s): Sophie | Jenny
  • Format: letter

Telegram Regarding Beate Stern (Bea Karp) and Suse Stern's Travels, August 30, 1945

  • Date: August 30, 1945
  • Format: telegram

V-Mail Letter from Ernest S. Kahn to Bertha Gottlieb and Flora and Albert Schmidt, September 27, 1945

  • Date: September 27, 1945
  • Creator(s): Kahn, Ernest S.
  • Format: letter

Letter from Bertha Gottlieb to Mrs. Haigh, October 28, 1945

  • Date: October 28, 1945
  • Creator(s): Gottlieb, Bertha
  • Format: letter

Letter to Bertha Gottlieb, November 5, 1945

  • Date: November 5, 1945
  • Format: letter

Letter from Beate Stern (Bea Karp) to Her Aunt and Uncle, November 18, 1945

  • Date: November 18, 1945
  • Creator(s): Karp, Bea
  • Format: letter

Letter from Beate Stern to Albert and Flora Schmidt and Bertha Gottlieb, 1946

  • Date: 1946
  • Creator(s): Karp, Bea
  • Format: letter

Letter from Beate Stern to Albert and Flora Schmidt and Bertha Gottlieb, 1946

  • Date: 1946
  • Creator(s): Karp, Bea
  • Format: letter

Letter from Ilse Windmueller to Bertha Gottlieb about Bea and Susie Stern, January 25, 1946

  • Date: January 25, 1946
  • Creator(s): Windmueller, Ilse
  • Format: letter

Letter from SER Paris to OSE Paris with inquiries about Beate and Susie Stern, February 25, 1946

  • Date: February 25, 1946
  • Format: letter

Letter from E. Masour to S. E. R. Paris, March 4, 1946

  • Date: March 4, 1946
  • Creator(s): Masour, E.
  • Format: letter

Letter from Bertha Gottlieb to American Consulate General, June 16, 1946

  • Date: June 16, 1946
  • Creator(s): Gottlieb, Bertha
  • Format: letter

Refugee Committee Interview Sheet, July 30, 1946

  • Date: July 30, 1946
  • Format: document

Letter from Albert Schmidt to American Consulate, August 12, 1946

  • Date: August 12, 1946
  • Creator(s): Schmidt, Albert
  • Format: letter

Letter from Beate Stern to Albert and Flora Schmidt and Bertha Gottlieb, August 22, 1946

  • Date: August 22, 1946
  • Creator(s): Karp, Bea
  • Format: letter

Letter from Bertha Gottlieb to Otto M. Schiff, September 3, 1946

  • Date: September 3, 1946
  • Creator(s): Gottlieb, Bertha
  • Format: letter

Letter from Flora and Albert Schmidt to Beate and Suzy Stern, September 10, 1946

  • Date: September 10, 1946
  • Creator(s): Schmidt, Flora | Schmidt, Albert
  • Format: letter

Letter from Beate Stern to Albert and Flora Schmidt and Bertha Gottlieb, September 16, 1946

  • Date: September 16, 1946
  • Creator(s): Karp, Bea
  • Format: letter

Letter from Beate Stern to Albert and Flora Schmidt and Bertha Gottlieb, September 30, 1946

  • Date: September 30, 1946
  • Creator(s): Karp, Bea
  • Format: letter

Letter from Albert and Flora Schmidt to Beate and Susie Stern, October 27, 1946

  • Date: October 27, 1946
  • Creator(s): Schmidt, Flora | Schmidt, Albert
  • Format: letter

Letter from Beate Stern to Albert and Flora Schmidt and Bertha Gottlieb, November 13, 1946

  • Date: November 13, 1946
  • Creator(s): Karp, Bea
  • Format: letter

Beate Stern (Bea Karp) Age 15

  • Date: 1947 ca.
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Pappenheimer, Deborah

Letter from Beate Stern to Albert and Flora Schmidt and Bertha Gottlieb, October 2, 1947

  • Date: October 2, 1947
  • Creator(s): Karp, Bea
  • Format: letter

Letter from Flora Schmidt and Bertha Gottlieb to Beate and Susie Stern, September 28, 1947

  • Date: September 28, 1947
  • Creator(s): Gottlieb, Bertha | Schmidt, Flora
  • Format: letter

Letter from Miriam Stern to Beate and Susie Stern, December 13, 1947

  • Date: December 13, 1947
  • Creator(s): Stern, Miriam
  • Format: letter

Letter from Beate and Susie Stern to Bertha Gottlieb, August 6, 1948

  • Date: August 6, 1948
  • Creator(s): Karp, Bea | Stern, Susie
  • Format: letter

Letter from Flora Schmidt to the Office of Alien Property, October 5, 1948

  • Date: October 5, 1948
  • Creator(s): Schmidt, Flora
  • Format: letter

Letter from Flora Schmidt to the Department of State, October 25, 1948

  • Date: October 25, 1948
  • Creator(s): Schmidt, Flora
  • Format: letter

Bea Karp's High School Diploma

  • Date: 1951
  • Format: document

Sworn Statement of Albert and Flora Schmidt, September 5, 1951

  • Date: September 5, 1951
  • Format: document

Letter from Ernst Adler to Flora Schmidt, November 30, 1955

  • Date: November 30, 1955
  • Creator(s): Adler, Ernst
  • Format: letter
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